Michaela's Awakening
by MightyMiaBoo
Summary: A romantic account of Michaela’s sexual awakening, as she discovers the many pleasurable aspects of making love with her new husband, Sully, on their Wedding Night and during the first 2 days of their Honeymoon. 3 chapters.
1. Chapter 1: The Train Ride to Denver

******MICHAELA'S AWAKENING**

by Mia

**Summary:** A romantic account of Michaela's sexual awakening, as she discovers the many pleasurable aspects of making love with her new husband, Sully, on their Wedding Night and during the first 2 days of their Honeymoon. This 3-chapter story begins right where the final "Darker and Darker" scene of _For Better or Worse_ left off.

_**Author's Note**_**:** **This** **story contains some ****tastefully explicit**** (but NEVER crude or pornographic) love scenes between 2 married people who are soul-mates in every sense of the word**. I have no qualms about writing descriptive love scenes involving 2 married people who share a deep, abiding love for each other, as the characters of Michaela and Sully do. I believe that, in this context, lovemaking can be a sacred and beautiful thing. And I've tried to reflect that in my writing of this piece. As a frequent fan fiction reader (and new writer), I understand that "less" can often, but not always, be "more" when it comes to love scenes. However, as I hope you'll see as you read this story, the subject matter of this particular piece seemed to call for "more." I just followed where the story intuitively led me; in this case, towards more uninhibited **LOVE** scenes (with an emphasis on "love"). **Nevertheless, if explicit love scenes are not your cup of tea, regardless of context; or they are not appropriate for your age, please stop reading here**.

P.S.: I also happen to be a huge Greek mythology buff, so I couldn't help incorporating a little of it into the story. ;-)

_Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." The rights to those characters and to the show belong to the creators of the show, to CBS, The Sullivan Company and to A&E._

**Michaela's Awakening**

**Chapter 1 - The Train Ride to Denver**

Caught up in the rapture of kissing Michaela, Sully reminded himself to take things slowly. Tearing himself away from his wife's enticing neck, he sat back for a moment, letting his eyes feast on her. Her lips were swollen from their feverish kisses, her skin flushed with passion, her eyes bright with adoration and anticipation. At times like this, he had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming -- he couldn't believe that such a beautiful, courageous, caring and talented woman was _his_ wife. He felt like he'd been waiting for this moment all his life: The moment when he and Michaela, his new bride, would finally join together -- body and soul -- becoming one in every sense of the word.

* * *

He'd never seen her look more beautiful than she'd looked today, their wedding day. She'd been positively radiant, her eyes shining with love, hope, promise and excitement as she'd looked forward to beginning the next chapter of their life together; this time, as husband and wife. He'd had a hard time keeping his eyes, and hands, off her during the reception. The lace bodice of her off-the-shoulder wedding gown had dipped tantalizingly low in the front, hinting at the tempting breasts that lay beneath it; and her skin -- warmed by the balmy afternoon sun -- had positively glowed. He'd taken advantage of every possible pretext to touch her; putting his arm around her shoulders to whisper in her ear, holding her hand as they'd walked around to greet their wedding guests. Each touch had been rewarded with a shy, knowing smile from his astute bride. Despite his efforts to conceal his ardor, it had practically radiated off him.

When Sully had closed the door of their honeymoon train suite as they'd pulled away from the Colorado Springs station, he hadn't been able to conceal his excitement at finally having his beautiful wife all to himself. Her enchanting gasp when he'd picked her up and carried her to the bed, had been like music to his ears.

When he'd begun to untie the laces of her corseted wedding gown, her insecurities had briefly surfaced.

"Sully!" she'd exclaimed, somewhat flabbergasted. "It isn't even dark yet!"

To set her mind at ease, he'd begun to play a little game with the shades of the small picture windows of their train compartment. As he'd pulled each of the blinds down, he'd teased, "But it's getting darker ... and darker ... and darker ...," sending his blushing bride into a fit of giggles.

Laughter had quickly turned to passion as she'd returned his kisses with more and more fervor. And when she'd stood from the bed to pull down the last open window shade with a sultry, "And darker ...," he'd known that she was finally ready to share all of herself with him.

* * *

Michaela lay back on the bed, looking up at Sully as he lovingly gazed at her. She sat up, craving another kiss, and the movement caused the loosened bodice of her gown to slip down her arms and décolletage. It now hung precariously on her breasts, barely concealing her suddenly sensitive nipples.

"Would ya mind if we removed this now?" he asked, running his fingers along the edge of the lace and over the swell of her breasts.

Her skin tingled where he'd touched her, and she shyly lowered her eyes, indicating her consent.

With a tender kiss and reassuring smile, he loosened the remaining laces of her gown and slipped the bodice off her. Overcome with bashfulness, Michaela couldn't stop the blush that crept up her neck and face. She sat perfectly still, willing herself not to tremble as he removed the pins and adornments from her hair and buried his nose in the glossy, fragrant mass.

Sully smiled to himself at his wife's efforts to conceal her nervousness. If only she knew the effect she was having on _him_! He warmly stroked her face and declared, reverently, "Oh, Michaela, you're a vision. There's no reason to be shy. It's just you an' me here." Unable to resist the urge to touch her newly-exposed skin, he ran his hands gently down her shoulders and breasts to her waist, pausing briefly at her nipples.

Michaela arched into his touch, in an unconscious plea for more. In response, he continued to lavish her body with gentle caresses. Urged on by her delighted gasps, his touch grew increasingly intimate. He cupped her full breasts in his hands and stroked her straining nipples with his thumbs, making her squirm with pleasure.

Emboldened by his wife's responsiveness, Sully leaned forward and sucked one of her taut nipples between his lips and stroked it with his tongue. Michaela moaned her enjoyment. She began to run her fingers through his thick hair, holding him to her breast, silently begging him to continue his sensuous assault. As he gave her other breast the same intoxicating treatment, he undid the fastenings of her skirts and petticoats. He slid his hands under the waistband of her bloomers, coming to rest on the stretch of unbelievably smooth skin between her lower back and buttocks. Distracted by his worshipful attentions to her breasts, she barely noticed when he removed her shoes and stockings and then laid her back on the bed. Caught up in a sensual haze, she allowed him to lift her hips and slide her skirts and underclothes off her and onto the floor. It was only when she felt the cool air against her nether regions that she realized she was now completely naked before her husband.

Sully slid off the bed and pulled Michaela up to stand before him. He stared at her with abject adoration, drinking her in in all her glory.

She bit her lower lip, fighting the urge to cover herself. "What if he doesn't like what he sees?" she wondered.

As he read the doubts that flitted across her face, Sully couldn't believe that his wife could think of herself as anything but the gorgeous, seductive woman she so clearly was. "Michaela, you're so beautiful, so perfect, ya take my breath away. Don't hide yourself from me, love ... I'm completely in awe of ya." He pulled her into a warm embrace, running his hands up and down her spine, stroking her fears away.

Michaela laid her hands against the front of Sully's striking Cheyenne wedding shirt. She wanted so badly to touch the skin that lay beneath it, but she didn't know how to put her yearning into words. She remembered the first time she'd seen him shirtless, when they'd gone deep into the woods to collect water samples to prove that Harding's mine was polluting the town's main stream. The treacherous trip had required them to cross a deep pond, and afterwards, they'd had to sit around in their undergarments while their clothes had lain out to dry. They'd promised each other not to look, but she hadn't been able to resist sneaking a peek when Sully had stepped away to fetch their clothing. And then, when he'd had to help her fasten the buttons of her shirt due to her broken wrist, she'd surreptitiously looked her fill of his captivating chest. That memory had haunted her dreams ever since.

Now that they were married and free of concerns about propriety, she longed to touch the real thing. Too tongue-tied to ask her groom to remove his shirt, Michaela sighed in frustration.

Sully noticed his wife subtly pressing her hands into the front of his wedding shirt, and immediately understood what she wanted. With an affectionate peck to her forehead, he stepped back and slowly removed the garment, placing it onto a nearby wing-back chair along with her wedding dress, which he'd removed earlier. She marveled at the sight of his well-muscled torso, and her fingers twitched with the need to touch him.

"Michaela, sweetheart, it's OK to touch, ya know. In fact, I'd like nuthin' better," he said, with an enthusiastic smile.

She timidly reached out and gingerly ran her hand over Sully's broad chest. Goosebumps rose on his skin where she touched him, and he tried in vain to stifle a groan of pleasure.

The tips of Michaela's fingers tingled in response to her husband's warm skin. Uncertain of how or where to touch him, she decided to reciprocate his earlier caresses of her upper body; doing to him what had felt so thrilling to her. She softly stroked his masculine shoulders, working her way down to his chest. Fascinated, she toyed with his chest hair, and finally, ran her thumbs over his nipples.

Sully's body was on fire. "Michaela, your hands feel like heaven," he sighed. "Please don't stop what you're doing to me."

Stimulated beyond belief, she couldn't have stopped even if she'd wanted to. She couldn't get enough of the mesmerizing feel and smell of her virile husband. Needing to be closer to him, she drew him into an embrace, pressing his chest against her breasts. The intimate contact sent a bolt of intense sensations from her nipples to the sensitive spot between her legs, which began to throb. Suddenly weak in the knees, she was relieved when he guided her backwards to sit on the bed.

Never breaking eye contact with his wife, Sully pulled off his boots and socks and removed his trousers. He reluctantly tore his gaze from hers as he briefly turned aside to toss his pants onto the wing-back chair to join their other garments. Then, he gradually turned back to face her, baring his naked body to her for the first time.

Michaela blushed at the sight of her husband's magnificent nude form. She was now even more grateful to be sitting on the supportive bed, since she was sure that her legs would have buckled beneath her if she'd been standing. His body was perfectly proportioned, like a Grecian statue. Her eyes dropped below his waist to his aroused manhood, and she marveled at its substantial size. She wondered in trepidation how it would ever fit inside her.

Sully noticed the dueling emotions of desire and apprehension reflected in Michaela's eyes, and he knew exactly what she was thinking. "Don't be afraid, love. Trust me," he said.

"Oh Sully, I do trust you, more than I've ever trusted anyone," she admitted. "It's just that this is all so new to me ...," her voice tapered off, swallowed up by her nerves.

"Don't worry, we'll take it ever so easy," he assured her, hoping that she'd catch the reference. Michaela's eyes glinted in recognition, and he knew that she remembered their quiet conversation at the end of their premarital counseling, about her inexperience in matters of physical intimacy.

Her shy smile drew Sully to her like a magnet to metal. He approached and sat on the bed beside his wife, turning her face to his for a heated kiss. He guided them up the bed until they were lying side by side from head to toe. His hands never left her body, and they were soon joined by his lips, which kissed, nipped and sucked the smooth skin of her neck, shoulders, breasts and stomach. He allowed himself a brief glance at her womanhood, which wafted with her arousal. He resisted the temptation to taste her, knowing that this would be too much, too soon. Admonishing himself to go slowly, he caressed his way back up her body and claimed her kiss-swollen lips.

Sully deepened the kiss, and Michaela eagerly welcomed it, their tongues coming together in an age-old dance of love. At the same time, he slid his hand down her body, letting it come to rest at the juncture between her thighs.

Michaela's body tingled and pulsed with delight in response to her husband's ministrations. She haltingly reciprocated in kind, spurred on by his murmurs of encouragement and moans of passion. She was unprepared for the shock of pleasure that tore through her when he touched her feminine center for the first time. The insistent throb between her legs intensified in response to his intimate touch, and she felt a rush of moisture coat his fingers.

The wetness that flowed from Michaela's core sent an answering jolt of excitement through Sully, making him crave her all the more. Using her dampness to facilitate his explorations, he slipped one finger, and then two, into her female passage. Her body eagerly surrounded his fingers. Carefully avoiding her maidenhead, he stroked his digits in and out of her cleft as he massaged the sensitive bud at its apex with his thumb.

Michaela was in heaven. Her hips began to buck off the bed, urgently seeking her husband's fingers ... and then, something more. She wanted him inside her.

"Sully, I ...," she hesitated, afraid of seeming too bold.

"Yes, my love?" he responded. He knew what she wanted, but waited to see if she would request it of him.

"I ... I need you," was all she could manage. But it was enough to let her husband know that she was ready to accept him into her body. He moved between her legs.

"Ready?" he asked gently, looking into Michaela's eyes, which shone with such love and trust that it brought a lump to his throat.

The rash of emotions swirling around within her made words impossible, and she could only nod.

Slowly, tentatively, Sully eased into his wife's body for the first time, his arms shaking with his efforts not to crush her under his weight. The indescribable feeling of finally being inside the woman he loved more than life itself almost proved too much for him, and he closed his eyes and stilled, trying to compose himself. He continued to inch forward within her until he encountered the barrier that signaled his innocent bride's virginity. He leaned down, capturing her lips in a delectable kiss, as he breached her maidenhead.

Dorothy had told her to expect some discomfort, but nothing could have adequately prepared Michaela for the searing pain that shot through her when Sully joined with her for the first time. She gasped in shock, and her eyes filled with tears.

His wife's cry of pain pierced Sully's heart like a knife. He knew that her pain was unavoidable, but that didn't make him feel any less hurt or guilty for having caused it. He slowly lowered his body to hers and kissed the tears off her face.

"Michaela," he whispered soothingly. "This'll be the last time you'll feel any pain when we make love. From here on out, I promise you only pleasure."

Any pain she had felt was long gone before the words had even left his mouth. Warmed by her husband's reassurances, Michaela raised her head and tenderly kissed his lips. She could feel his manhood throbbing insistently within her, and, as though in answer, her feminine sheath pulsed around him. She suddenly felt the compelling need to move; to pull him deeper inside her. Too self-conscious to speak her desires aloud, she looked into his alluring blue eyes, silently willing him into motion.

Michaela's kiss -- such an innocent gesture of acceptance -- filled Sully's heart to bursting. Her female passage caressed him like a velvet glove, and he was powerless to remain still. Slowly, he began to thrust in and out of his wife, savoring the exquisitely snug sensation of being inside her.

Michaela didn't expect the resulting shivers of pleasure that ran through her body, and she gasped; this time, not in pain, but in surprised delight. Her body and her heart had never felt so full. Driven by an unconscious need to bring them even closer together, she wrapped her arms around Sully's torso, pulling him to her and caressing his back. The motion brought his chest flush against her breasts and his soft chest hair abraded her sensitive nipples, eliciting mutual groans of passion from them both. Her entire body throbbed, demanding even more of these intoxicating sensations. Heeding her body's instinctual commands, she bent her knees, causing him to slide even deeper within her. The resulting feeling of utter and absolute oneness with her soul-mate amazed and overwhelmed her, and prompted an aroused groan from her husband.

Michaela's openness and responsiveness were swiftly pushing Sully to the breaking point. When she bent her knees, pulling him even deeper within her, it was his undoing. He tried in vain to fight for control; but was powerless to do anything but surrender as his body drove him to an explosive climax. Michaela could sense the change in the intensity of his movements, a striving for conclusion, and it excited her that she could affect him like this.

"Oh God, Michaela ... I've dreamed of this for so long, and ya feel so good ... I can't hold on no longer," he gasped. "Next time, we'll reach paradise together."

Before she could ponder the meaning of his words, Michaela felt Sully's body go rigid ... and then shudders racked his frame as his climax struck. He buried his face in her neck, groaning her name as waves of unimaginable pleasure washed over him.

Drained, Sully collapsed briefly on his wife, lovingly kissing her lips and neck. When his arms had regained sufficient strength to lift himself, he rolled off her and snuggled at her side, throwing his leg over one of hers in an effort to maintain their closeness.

Michaela looked down at her body, amazed that it had experienced such feelings and triggered such an explosive reaction in her beloved husband. As she ruminated over what had just happened, she remembered her mother referring to making love as the "wifely duty;" an activity to be tolerated in stillness and silence by the wife, and enjoyed only by the husband. She flushed with embarrassment, knowing that she'd just been neither still nor silent.

Sully felt the tension creep into his wife's body. "Michaela, did I hurt ya? I'm so sorry," he apologized. It broke his heart to think that he may have frightened her or caused her any pain.

"Oh no, Sully ... you didn't hurt me," she quickly assured him. "I enjoyed ... what we just did." She flushed, uncomfortable discussing such matters. Then, eyes downcast, she murmured in a voice so soft that he almost didn't hear her, "... Maybe, too much."

Understanding dawned on Sully. He'd lived for so long in the ways of the Cheyenne that he'd almost forgotten the strict notions about marital intimacy that were still so prevalent among other groups, especially back East, where Michaela was from.

"Michaela, sweetheart, ya have absolutely nuthin' to be ashamed of. There's nuthin' wrong with showin' me that you enjoy what we're doin' when we make love. It's every man's fantasy to have a woman as responsive and beautiful as you. And I consider myself the luckiest man in the world that ya shared yourself me with me. Ya pleased me more than you could ever know."

Comforted by Sully's reassurances, Michaela released a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding, and relaxed into his embrace. Emotionally and physically spent from the life-changing events of the past day, she felt her eyelids become heavy.

"And it's only the beginning," he said mysteriously, hinting at even greater pleasures to come.

Too sleepy to contemplate the possibilities, she could only smile.

"I love you," Sully whispered, as her breathing slowed and she slipped into a contented sleep. He snuggled closer to her and, thanking the Spirits for his beloved Michaela, he joined her in slumber.

[END OF CHAPTER 1. CONTINUE TO CHAPTER 2.]


	2. Chapter 2: First Day as Husband & Wife

**Michaela's Awakening**

**Chapter 2 - First Day As Husband & Wife**

The Denver streets were a flurry of activity on the newlyweds' carriage ride from the train station to their hotel a short distance away. Michaela excitedly gripped her husband's arm, taking it all in. Always in-tune to his wife's feelings, Sully sensed her excitement, and made a mental note to ensure that they did some sightseeing during their sojourn in the fair city. In seemingly no time at all, they alighted in front of the luxurious resort where they would be staying for the next two weeks.

As they walked through the entrance and beheld the grandeur that surrounded them, Sully quipped, "Remind me to thank your mother again for this," referring to Elizabeth Quinn's wedding present of a fortnight's stay in Denver's premier hotel. The attentive resort staff had them checked in and settled into their opulent room in no time. Michaela walked around their spacious suite, admiring the sumptuous furnishings: The enormous canopy bed, plush rugs, large bathtub with indoor plumbing and an abundance of warm water, and two fireplaces. And all theirs to enjoy with each other for the next two weeks!

Thoughtful, as usual, Sully placed a tender kiss on his wife's lips, and said, "After our long night on the train, I'm sure ya could use a nice, warm bath. Why don't ya get started on that, and I'll take care of unpackin' our luggage."

With a grateful sigh, Michaela made her way to the boudoir adjoining the large bathroom, anticipating a relaxing soak in an ocean of frothy bubbles. Sully closely observed her departure with a wry smile. He'd hoped that she might be comfortable enough with him to undress in his presence. But he knew that three decades'-worth of puritanical Boston ideas wouldn't disappear overnight. He was willing to give her all the time she needed to adjust. But a man could still dream, couldn't he?

After he'd unpacked their belongings, Sully sat in the wing-back chair near the fireplace, picturing Michaela enjoying her bath just next door. The sound of running water had stopped a few minutes ago, and now he heard her happily splashing around, softly humming a tune. He imagined her lovely skin flushed from the heat of the bubbly water; her tantalizing breasts just barely visible through the soapy clouds floating around her. Giving into his curiosity, he roused himself from the chair and padded soundlessly to the bathroom to check on his bride.

Michaela felt his presence even before she heard him quietly enter the washroom, and her heart skipped a beat at his nearness. Overcome by modesty, she quickly glanced down at her nude body, relieved to see that most of it was shielded by the bath bubbles.

Sully observed his suddenly fidgety wife with a soft chuckle. She possessed a combined aura of innocence and sensuality that never ceased to enchant him.

"Just checkin' to see if ya need any help with your bath," he said, with a mischievous wink.

Michaela was about to assure him that she was perfectly capable of washing herself, when she caught his meaning. The realization caused her to blush wildly. Unsure of how to respond, she remained silent; though her body was already fervently anticipating his attentions.

"I'll take that as a 'yes,' then," he said in amusement.

With that, Sully crouched beside the tub, giving his wife an amorous peck on the forehead on the way down. He eyed the bath sponge that sat on a nearby ledge, feeling somewhat conflicted. Deep down, he wanted nothing more than to run his hands all over her warm, slippery skin, unimpeded by the sponge. But, on the other hand, he didn't want to risk making her uncomfortable by moving too fast. Against his every male instinct, he grabbed the sponge, dipped it in the soapy water, and began to rub it gently over her shoulders and arms. At first, he deliberately avoided her more intimate spots, wanting to gradually ease her into this new experience.

Michaela felt herself responding to Sully's attentive ministrations, and a blissful sigh escaped her lips. She recalled a similarly-pleasurable experience a few months ago ... though, of course, at that time, she'd had on much more clothing!

"Sully, do you remember the first time you helped me bathe?" she asked, before she could stop herself.

"Yep, I sure do," he eagerly rejoined. "How could I ever forget that?"

He continued, "It was on the Cattle Drive with Matthew, when we brought the cattle Olive had left 'im back to Colorado Springs. As I recall, you'd just helped birth a calf, and you'd gone off somewhere by yourself to wash the grime off."

Michaela smiled at the memory. "It was so sweet of you to bring me warm water to wash myself with."

"If you'd known what was goin' through my mind back then, you wouldn'ta thoughta me as 'sweet'," he responded, with a roguish grin. His admission prompted a playful smack on the arm from his wife.

"You'd taken your shirt off to wash it, and you were sittin' there in your camisole ... I thought I was dreamin'," he intoned. "And then, when ya didn't refuse my offer to help wash ya, I really thought I'd died and gone to heaven!"

Michaela giggled. "Yes, I wondered what you might think of me, dressed - or rather, _un_dressed - like that. But my blouse was so filthy, it just made sense to wash it in the cold water. Besides, I didn't think anything improper could happen, with us being out in the open like that."

"Oh, I'd say quite alot happened," Sully countered, with a chortle. "That camisole didn't leave much to the imagination, and your skin looked so beautiful an' soft, I wanted to touch ya more than anything. I had to keep remindin' myself to use the washcloth to bathe ya, so I wouldn't scare ya off."

As they chatted, Sully continued to stroke his wife's body with the sponge, gradually becoming more intimate. Michaela wanted so badly to take the sponge from him and put his palms directly on her tingling skin, but she couldn't bring herself to be so bold. As it had on the Cattle Drive, her body cried out for the feel of his bare hands on her flesh. Except, this time, there was no concern about propriety or fear of being caught. If only she could make him understand what she craved without the words she was still too timid to say! Hoping that he'd figure out what she so deeply desired, she leaned back in the tub and rested her head against the bath pillow, opening her body up for further exploration.

Sully perceptively picked up on the urgent signals that his wife's stimulated body was sending him. He let the sponge drop into the bathwater, and began to stroke Michaela's neck and shoulders with his bare hands. He was rewarded with a gratified sigh from her lips. He slowly worked his way down her curvaceous frame, taking special care to lather up her breasts and fondle her aroused nipples. He paused to playfully tickle her belly-button, and then finally came to rest between her thighs. He cautiously slipped a finger between her feminine folds.

Michaela flinched at the unexpected feeling of soreness caused by her husband's intimate touch. She blanched, recalling the blood-stained sheets beneath her when she'd awoken earlier that morning on the train.

Sully hastened to reassure her. "Michaela, love, you went through quite an experience last night. Your body's still recoverin', is all. How 'bout you just lay back, relax, and let's finish your bath?" As difficult as it would be, today he'd have to curb his enthusiasm for his enchanting wife. They would spend the day exploring other ways to show their affection for one another, and enjoying the simple pleasure of each other's company.

Soothed by her husband's considerate words, Michaela lay back and allowed him to continue pampering her. When the water started to cool, she rinsed the remnants of the soap from her body and wrapped herself in a large fluffy towel provided by the hotel. As he looked at her enticingly damp, flushed skin, Sully secretly wished that the towel would slip off and drop to the floor, exposing all of her to him. But her firm grip on the bath sheet made that highly unlikely!

"Why don't ya get dressed in the bedroom while I stay here and freshen up?" he suggested, figuring that she'd welcome the opportunity to do so in private.

Michaela's relief was palpable, and he suppressed a knowing grin.

She was already dressed by the time he'd completed his toilette and joined her in the bedroom. Her luxurious bath had refreshed as well as relaxed her, leaving her eager to face the day.

"What would you like to do on our first day in Denver, Mr. Sully?" she asked, with an animated smile.

"I was thinkin' we could walk around and take in some of the sights," he replied. "I saw ya admirin' the city on our way to the hotel, and I thought we could enjoy it together."

"That's a wonderful idea!" she exclaimed.

As they prepared to leave, she noticed Sully slip something into his jacket pocket. "What's that?" she asked, curiously.

"Ah, it's nuthin'," he replied, with an enigmatic smile. "Ready to go?"

Michaela linked her arm through his, and together they walked out of the resort and into the Denver sunshine.

* * *

It was a perfect day for an adventure in the city. The late-Spring sun shone brightly overhead, and the sky was so blue that it matched Sully's captivating eyes.

For the next few hours, the newlyweds strolled through the streets of Denver, stopping to admire the city's many landmarks and attractions as they went. The store windows were filled with items from all over the world: delicate filigree jewelry from India, hand-woven tapestries from Egypt, and dazzling gowns from the most fashionable boutiques in Paris. Michaela observed it all, her eyes sparkling with delight. It warmed Sully's heart to see her so excited, and he was glad to be sharing it all with her.

Sully and Michaela never broke contact with each other as they ambled along, relishing their new-found ability to show affection in public without remonstrations. They took every opportunity to hold hands, link arms, and lightly touch each other's backs as they navigated through the town. Despite the newlyweds' best efforts to be discreet, their mutual adoration was clear to everyone around, garnering knowing smiles from the townsfolk. As they passed a florist's shop brimming with fragrant blossoms, the proprietor called to Sully, "Care to buy a rose for your pretty new bride, sir?"

"How'd ya guess?" Sully queried.

"Well, a man'd havta be blind not to notice! It's clear as day to anyone with two eyes in their head that you're newlyweds on your honeymoon. Where are you two from, anyway?"

Sully introduced himself and Michaela, and they made smalltalk while he purchased a single red rose for his wife.

"Well, Mr. Sully, Mrs. Sully, it was a pleasure makin' your acquaintance. I do hope you enjoy the rest of your stay here in Denver," the shopkeeper said as he saw them out of the store.

_Mrs. Sully_ ... Michaela decided that she very much liked the sound of that. Although she'd kept her maiden name for professional reasons, being addressed as Sully's wife socially made her feel warm inside. Somehow, it made them seem even more like a married couple, if that were possible! She looked fondly at the man she'd eagerly promised to love, honor and cherish less than twenty-four hours ago ... she'd never felt closer to another human being in her life.

Thanks to their invigorating promenade, the lovebirds soon worked up quite an appetite. Since they'd missed breakfast earlier at the hotel, Sully was not surprised when he heard Michaela's stomach emit a loud growl.

She gave a charming titter and said, "After enjoying Grace's hearty cooking yesterday at the reception, I swore I'd never eat again. But I suppose I must be hungrier than I thought I'd be."

"No worries, my sweet," he replied. I was just thinkin' now might be a good time to break for lunch. Follow me."

Her curiosity piqued, she allowed him to lead her to a nearby café. Sully entered the establishment and greeted the owner.

"Ah, Mr. Sully; I've been expectin' ya. One picnic basket, comin' right up." He reached under the counter and produced a picnic basket filled to the brim with goodies that wafted enticingly to Michaela's hungry nose.

She was so busy daydreaming about the tasty treats that she didn't stop to wonder how the café owner had known that they'd be needing a picnic basket. Sully later told her that he'd secretly enlisted the help of their hotel concierge in making all the arrangements, when they'd checked in earlier.

They walked along the bank of Cherry Creek and into a small forest just on the outskirts of town. When they reached a suitable clearing, Sully retrieved a blanket from the top of the basket and set it on the grass. In no time at all, the couple were digging into a mouthwatering spread of fried chicken, beans, biscuits and fresh fruit, all capped off with Michaela's favorite pecan pie for dessert. They were both so famished that they ate in virtual silence, pausing only for an occasional kiss or comment on how delicious the food was.

Overcome with a satisfied languor after their hearty meal, they decided to tarry awhile and enjoy the afternoon sun and the nature surrounding them. Sully leaned back against a tree and gestured to Michaela to join him. After a quick glance around to make sure that they were truly alone, she sat alongside her husband, sighing contentedly as he put his arm around her and drew her head to his well-muscled chest.

She saw him briefly fumble with his jacket, and then he produced the item that she'd seen him mysteriously slip in there earlier. It was a book, but she couldn't quite make out the title.

"What's that?" she asked, reaching for it inquisitively.

"Oh no, ya don't," he teased, moving the book out of her grasp. "If ya wanna know what it is, you'll havta let me read it to ya."

With an adorable moue of resignation, Michaela leaned back against her husband and waited for him to start reading.

Sully took a deep breath and, flipping to the dog-eared page that he'd marked, he began:

- x - x - x - x - x - x -

You sea! I resign myself to you also- I guess what you mean,

I behold from the beach your crooked inviting fingers,

I believe you refuse to go back without feeling of me,

We must have a turn together, I undress, hurry me out of sight of

the land,

Cushion me soft, rock me in billowy drowse,

Dash me with amorous wet, I can repay you.

Sea of stretch'd ground-swells,

Sea breathing broad and convulsive breaths,

Sea of the brine of life and of unshovell'd yet always-ready graves,

Howler and scooper of storms, capricious and dainty sea,

I am integral with you, I too am of one phase and of all phases.

- x - x - x - x - x - x -

"Walt Whitman," she whispered in recognition.

"Remember the first time I tried to read ya this poem?" Sully inquired.

"Oh yes, how could I possibly forget?" she recalled, somewhat sheepishly. "Not exactly what I would call a 'pleasant' poetry reading."

"Ain't that the truth!" he laughingly agreed.

"It's just that listening to you recite such, ah ... unfettered verses ... Well, it made me feel things; things that I knew weren't appropriate for an unmarried woman to be feeling," she explained. "Your words stirred me so profoundly that I didn't know whether to kiss you or run away from you ... and it frightened me."

Michaela's admission that he'd affected her so deeply made Sully smile in satisfaction. He continued to reminisce, "I told ya that you might have a change of heart, and you swore that ya never would."

"Hmmm," she conceded.

"Well, are ya, Mrs. Sully?" he prompted.

"Am I what?" she rejoined, her eyes twinkling with fun.

"Are ya havin' a change of heart?" he asked, raising an inquiring eyebrow.

"Well, I most certainly believe I am, Mr. Sully. In fact, I feel like I could sit here forever listening to you recite romantic poetry to me," she dreamily confessed.

"Hmmm ... I dunno about 'forever' ... we'd probably catch our death of cold sittin' out here in the winter," he joked. "But would ya settle for an afternoon?"

"You've got yourself a deal," she playfully retorted. With that, she happily ensconced herself in the cocoon of her husband's chest; and enjoyed the sound of his deep, alluring voice as he read to her until a picturesque sunset emblazoned the horizon.

* * *

Having had a hearty lunch earlier, the newlyweds opted for a light room service dinner of fresh fruit, cheese & crackers, and an especially decadent treat: Chocolate-dipped strawberries. As they took turns feeding each other the succulent berries, the juice ran down their fingers, providing the perfect excuse for Sully to lick it off with relish.

"Sully, that tickles!" Michaela shrieked in amusement. She soon got caught up in the game, kissing the strawberry juice off his face and hands. She'd never had so much fun making a mess!

Their innocent, childish fun soon turned more adult in nature, as they each became more daring in their efforts to clean the sticky juice off each other. Sully deliberately let his lips linger around his wife's fingers, giving her a meaningful look as he slowly sucked off the syrupy liquid and artfully used his tongue to remove the remnants of the chocolate.

The memory of Sully kissing and tonguing her nipples during their first encounter on the train, flashed into Michaela's mind before she could stop the licentious direction of her thoughts. She reddened, surprised that he could make her think such things just by licking her fingers!

The couple's risqué enjoyment of their evening snack was having a similar effect on Sully, except that he was picturing Michaela's luscious mouth on another part of his anatomy. They had yet to broach that particular aspect of lovemaking, but he was certain that with time and patience, his passionate wife would come to enjoy it as well.

Despite their best efforts to catch the copious juice, some of it had run down Michaela's chin and dripped onto her blouse. Sully saw an opportunity to make things even more interesting ...

"Sweetheart, your blouse is dirty," he pointed out. "Maybe you should soak it b'fore the stain sets in."

"Why, Sully, I had no idea you knew so much about laundry!" she teased.

"You'd be amazed at the stuff ya learn in mining camp," he rejoined. "C'mere, lemme help get this off ya." Without waiting for a response, he slid closer to her on the sofa and began to unbutton her blouse. In no time flat, the soiled garment was off and Michaela was on her way to the bathroom to soak it in the wash basin. Meanwhile, Sully took the opportunity to remove his shirt and boots, leaving him clad only in his formfitting buckskins.

Michaela sauntered back into the bedroom to retrieve her nightgown and paused, sensing that the mood had definitely become more sensual in nature.

"I figured I'd better take my shirt off before I get berry juice or chocolate on it," Sully slyly explained. But they both knew that wasn't the real reason he'd removed his shirt.

She gave him a sultry smile, and decided to torture him a little.

"Don't mind me," she said affably. "I just popped in to get my nightgown."

Well aware of the likely effect of her see-through camisole on her ardent husband, Michaela made sure to walk just inches away as she passed him on her way to fetch her nightgown from under her pillow.

She'd barely reached the foot of the bed when she felt Sully's strong arms around her and his warm breath against her neck.

"Ya won't be needin' that for what I got in mind," he growled amorously.

His hands slid under her camisole and he lovingly cupped her breasts, prompting a shiver of delight from his willing wife. Sully's caress released a dam within them both, and they hastened to remove each other's remaining clothing, anxious to be skin-to-skin. Their hands feverishly roamed over each other, and their kisses became deeper and more passionate as they sat on the bed.

It suddenly occurred to Michaela where this was going and she hesitated, remembering the brief sting of discomfort that she'd experienced when Sully had touched her sensitive core during her bath that morning.

He immediately discerned the reason for his wife's sudden uneasiness, and sought to put her mind at ease. "Michaela, remember what I said at the end of our counselin' with the Reverend? I promised ya that we'd take it ever so easy, and I mean to honor that promise. I know that you're still a bit sore from last night ..."

She flushed, amazed at his ability to discuss such intimate matters so openly.

"... so, as much as I wanna make love to ya again, I don't wanna cause ya any pain or discomfort. We'll wait until you're ready. I'd wait for you forever, Michaela."

Sully reached into his bag and pulled out a small bottle of herbal oil; a gift from Cloud Dancing. Michaela looked at him anxiously, unsure of what he intended to do with it.

Responding to the question in her eyes, he said, "I wanna show ya that we can touch each other and hold each other just for the joy of it ... we don't always gotta make love," he reassured her.

Michaela's body instinctively responded to his words, anticipating his touch even before her mind could process his meaning.

"Turn onto your stomach, love," he gently ordered. As curious as she was uncertain, she complied. Ever considerate of his new bride, Sully intuitively sensed that she might be still be a bit hesitant to bare her entire body to him. So he drew the sheet over her lower half, covering her up to her waist.

Face down, her head on a fluffy pillow, she heard, rather than saw him rub the bottle between his palms - presumably to warm up its contents - and then remove the stopper. After a few moments of expectancy, she felt Sully's hands applying the warm oil to the sensitive skin of her shoulders and back. He was giving her a massage.

Of course, as a physician, Michaela had studied the benefits of therapeutic massage for the healing of sore muscles and injuries. But she never knew that a massage could be so romantic or so arousing, as the one Sully was now treating her to. She sighed with pleasure.

The intimacy of the moment prompted him to make a confession. "I was just rememberin' the first time I saw ya like this," he mused.

She stiffened slightly, puzzled. "When did you see me like this before?" she queried.

"Remember back when ya caught the grippe? One day, I stopped by your room at the clinic to check up on ya, and I saw Olive and Emily givin' ya a sponge bath. You were face-down on the bed. They'd unbuttoned your camisole and were sponging your back down, trynna cool ya off." He continued, somewhat wistfully, "I knew ya were really sick an' all, but your skin looked like silk, so smooth an' soft ... I stood there for a good while, just admirin' ya ..."

"Byron Sully!" Michaela teasingly scolded. "I could've been on my death bed!"

"I know, I know ..." he responded with a sly chuckle. "I felt a little guilty lookin' at ya like that, when ya were so sick ... but ya looked so beautiful, I couldn't resist. Forgive me?" he asked, his voice full of amusement.

Michaela laughed softly, relaxing into Sully's touch once more. "Of course." His hands felt so wonderful on her skin that she would have found it virtually impossible to deny him anything at the moment.

The massage became more sensual as it progressed. She barely noticed as Sully slipped the sheet that had been covering her lower half down past her hips, over her thighs, and onto the floor. His touches began to feel more like loving caresses intended to arouse her, rather than merely relax her. He played her body like a finely-tuned instrument whose every chord he wished to learn, and Michaela felt herself unconsciously responding in kind. Her skin warmed to his touch, and her nipples were now insistently pressing against the sheets beneath her. She tried in vain to stifle her moan of pleasure.

Because her back was to him, Sully couldn't fully see the effect that his touch was having, but he noticed the change in her reaction to his caresses. He heard her soft moan, and it stirred him deeply. He walked his hands up the mattress on either side of her, covering her body with his. The feeling of his tumescent shaft against her lower back and buttocks was unmistakable.

"Feel what ya do to me, Michaela ..." he breathed into her ear. "You're so stunning, so sensual ... I can't help myself," he groaned, gently rubbing himself against her.

Michaela had never been so aroused in all her life. When Sully gently stroked himself against her back, it was as though a dam had burst inside her, and she was powerless to stop the rush of heavenly sensations that coursed through her entire body. She emitted a blissful groan, gripping the pillow until her knuckles turned white.

Sully took a deep, steadying breath and sat back on his haunches, still straddling Michaela. "Turn over, my love," he said, his voice husky with passion. "Lemme do the front of ya." He briefly lifted himself off her to give her room to maneuver.

She hesitated for a split second, but was too swept up in the sensual tide between them to resist or protest. She surrendered, flipping onto her back and baring her body to her beloved husband.

The sight of Michaela's delectable body was a feast for Sully's eyes, almost making him forget his earlier promise to forgo making love. Her breasts were flushed with passion and her nipples - rosy and turgid with desire - beckoned to him. He paused, closing his eyes in an effort to collect himself, and recalling his pledge to take things slowly.

He poured some more of the herbal oil into his palms, rubbing them together to warm it up. He looked into his wife's unique, bi-colored eyes and, with a reassuring smile, began to massage the front of her shoulders. Slowly, he made his way down her body, lavishing special attention on her breasts and gently pinching her sensitive nipples between his forefingers and thumbs.

Michaela was in ecstasy. When she'd first turned over to face her husband, her shyness had gotten the better of her. Although he'd assured her during their first night together that he found her perfect in every way, she couldn't resist lowering her gaze, afraid to meet his eyes lest she see even the tiniest bit of disapproval in them. Soon, however, her curiosity prevailed and she hesitantly opened her eyes, only to see him looking at her with such devotion and longing that her fears were immediately banished. She let out a relieved breath, and decided to relax and enjoy his ministrations as he slowly caressed her. Before long, he had her body humming with ravenous need.

As he moved past her womanhood on his way to massage her thighs, Sully allowed himself a small sigh of regret. As much as he desired it, he would not touch her there tonight, thoughtfully giving her a chance to recover from their first time together on the train. He lovingly rubbed the oil down Michaela's shapely legs, pausing to kiss and lick her toes as he finished.

As he came up to lie beside her, she couldn't help but notice his aroused state. She chewed on her lower lip, unsure of how to verbalize her feelings. "Sully ..." she started. "What about you? You've made me feel so wonderful, but ..."

"It's alright, Michaela," he assured her. "Pleasin' ya pleases me more than you can imagine."

For a while, the two lovers lay side-by-side, stroking each other's bodies and murmuring endearments. Michaela was so relaxed from her massage that her eyes soon grew heavy. Sully noticed her fighting to stay awake, and smiled.

"Sleep now," he whispered. "It's been a long day, and we still have the rest of our honeymoon to enjoy." With that, he flipped them both onto their sides, her back to his front, and they curled up together. As they snuggled against each other, she could feel his manhood insistently throbbing against her posterior, reminding her of the sensual activities they'd shared earlier that evening. She suppressed a pang of guilt and, letting her eyes drift shut, fell into a tranquil slumber.

Sleep didn't come so easily for Sully. His body still thrummed with unfulfilled yearning. He wondered if he'd ever get any rest tonight, what with Michaela's gorgeous naked body pressed against his. By sheer willpower, he forced himself to relax and enjoy the comfort that her closeness provided. With a sigh of contentment, he finally succumbed to sleep.

[END OF CHAPTER 2. CONTINUE TO CHAPTER 3.]


	3. Chapter 3: Shared Pleasures

**Michaela's Awakening**

**Chapter 3 - Shared Pleasures**

Happily free of the daily demands of Michaela's medical practice and Sully's duties as an Indian Agent, the newlyweds had allowed themselves the luxury of sleeping in. Relishing the absence of the usual time constraints, they had taken their time washing and getting dressed, stopping to exchange frequent kisses, hugs and other affectionate gestures. By the time they'd enjoyed a room-service brunch and emerged from their hotel, the midday sun was already high in the clear Denver sky.

Sully had arranged for them to visit the local museum, which was holding a special exhibit celebrating ancient Greek culture. Paintings, rare books and writings, sculptures, statues, and other Grecian-themed artifacts had been brought in from all over the globe for the occasion.

Sully intuitively knew that his wife would very much enjoy this event. She was, after all, a well-bred lady, he thought proudly. Although she would never admit it, he could tell that she missed the museums, art galleries and other cultural diversions that had been such an integral part of her life back in Boston. Her animated response when he'd invited her to the exhibit told him that his instincts had been just right.

* * *

They leisurely walked through the museum, perusing the multitude of priceless, exceptional items at the exhibit; and stopping to whisper comments to each other when something in particular caught their eye. Michaela was clearly in her element. At the entrance to the museum, she'd picked up a pamphlet describing the various artworks, and was now happily scribbling in the booklet as they wandered through the building. Sully smiled at her obvious enjoyment of her surroundings; nothing made him happier than seeing the woman he loved happy.

After a few hours in the principal wing of the museum, they ventured into the last section of the exhibit: An interior gallery that displayed artworks featuring the gods and goddesses of ancient Greek mythology. At first, Sully wondered why these items were being shown separately from the rest of the exhibit. But the reason became clear the moment they parted the curtains and entered the room: All around them were paintings and sculptures portraying a number of Greek deities in varying states of undress and passionate poses. Having lived according to Cheyenne customs for so long, Sully had adopted the tribe's appreciation for the human form and knew that it was nothing to fear or to be ashamed of. Michaela, on the other hand, was a different story. He couldn't wait to see her reaction to this particular display.

"This should be fun ..." he thought, with a conspiratorial grin.

Michaela was so busy jotting down notes in her pamphlet that, at first, it didn't dawn on her that they'd walked into a _different_ type of exhibit. As she looked around at the replica of the topless statue of Venus de Milo, the sculpture of a fully-nude Hermes of Praxiteles, and Spranger's painting of the largely-unclothed Venus & Mars in a lovers' embrace, she felt her cheeks begin to color. Suddenly, Sully's hand -- which had been resting on her lower back as he guided her through the museum -- seemed inordinately warm, even through her clothing. His beguiling, masculine scent, mixed with a hint of her favorite cologne on him, swirled around her, making her slightly dizzy.

She mentally shook herself. She was a grown, educated woman, and now a wife, not some simpering teenage girl. Not to mention that both her medical training and her practice involved all aspects of the human body. Surely she could appreciate this type of art for its historical and cultural purposes. Scholars had studied these works for centuries, recognizing the reverence with which they represented the Greek gods and their human forms. She should certainly be capable of doing the same. After stealing a quick glance at Sully to make sure he hadn't noticed her initial unease, she schooled her expression into what she hoped was a look of nonchalance, and continued on with her tour.

Truth be told, once she unwound a bit, Michaela found herself quite enjoying this special genre of Greek art. As she studied the nude statues of Hercules, Apollo and Poseidon, she found herself thinking of Sully, and the first time he'd revealed his naked body to her on the train to Denver. Perhaps she was somewhat biased, but none of these figures could hold a candle to her husband. His body was a true work of art, she opined to herself. And it was all _hers_. She couldn't resist a slightly smug smile at the notion. If only he could guess the scandalous thoughts running through her mind!

Sully keenly observed his wife's reactions to this more unbound type of artwork, with an amused smirk. Her feelings were clearly written all over her wonderfully-expressive face, despite her best efforts to appear detached. Then, as he continued to watch her, he noticed a gradual shift in her attitude to what lay before her: She subtly went from shocked and affronted, to curious and uncertain, and then finally, to appreciative and accepting. The change was amazing to witness.

When, at last, she turned to him to indicate that she was ready to leave, he was pleasantly surprised by the look of hunger in her eyes. The direction of her thoughts was unmistakable, making him regret that he'd already planned their upcoming date for dinner and dancing. All he wanted to do was get her alone and mold her gorgeous body with his bare hands, just like some of those clay sculptures they'd just viewed. It was going to be a long evening, he thought ruefully, as he grasped her arm to walk back to their hotel.

* * *

As much as he'd enjoyed their evening out, Sully was glad to be back in the sanctuary of their hotel suite; and alone with his wife. All day, she'd tantalized him with coy smiles and gentle touches, setting his senses on fire. And when they'd waltzed together -- so close, but yet still too far away for his liking -- it was all he could do not to pull her into his arms and ravish her right there on the dance floor. His body still hummed with unfulfilled longing from the previous evening's sensual activities, when they'd stopped just short of making love.

As they stepped inside the room, Sully twirled his lovely wife around and pulled her into his arms.

"Bein' so close to ya all evening and not bein' able to make love to ya just about killed me. Thank goodness we're finally alone," he murmured suggestively.

"Now how do you suppose we could pass the time, now that we're all by ourselves?" she replied, her voice full of flirtation.

"Oh, I got a few ideas," he teased. "How 'bout we getcha outta these clothes so I can show ya?"

As he expected, Michaela's face turned a fetching shade of pink at his insinuation. She reached for the first button at the top of her gown, and then stopped, looking at him uncertainly.

It took Sully a second to realize the reason for her hesitation: Although they had already shared the most intimate act that a man and woman could; she'd never actually undressed herself in his presence.

"No need to be shy 'bout undressin' in fronta me, Michaela. I love every inch of ya, with or without clothes on," he said with a comforting smile.

Michaela put on what she prayed was her bravest face, and began to unbutton her dress. But the incessant trembling of her hands betrayed her. She'd barely reached the second or third button when Sully, observing her unease, stepped in to help her.

"Here, let me," he offered. In what seemed like no time at all, she was standing before him clad only in her corset and underclothes.

Constricted by the corset and flustered by his nearness, her breath came in nervous pants.

"I think it's about time we removed this corset," he proposed. "I know you ladies wear it 'cause it's in fashion an' all, but sometimes I wonder if it's worth it, not bein' able to breathe," he commented as he tried in vain to untie the knots. "Besides, in my opinion, ya don't need one. You've got the perfect figure."

Michaela dropped her eyes demurely, not quite knowing how to accept his compliment. After a few more futile attempts to untie the knots of her corset, Sully threw up his hands in frustration.

"This thing is harder to untie than a Gordian Knot," he groused.

"Well, I can't just keep it on forever ... I can barely catch my breath as it is. There's got to be a way ...," she reasoned out loud. Just then, it hit her: "Of course -- my bandage scissors!" she exclaimed. "We'll just have to cut the corset off me."

One of the many things he loved about his wife was her resourcefulness, Sully thought, reminding himself to thank her later in the most sensual way possible.

"Now, aren't you glad I didn't let you dissuade me from taking my medical bag along on our honeymoon?" she joked, retrieving the scissors from her leather attaché.

Seconds later, the oppressive corset was gone, and Michaela drew a deep breath of relief.

"Now, where were we?" Sully asked silkily. "Hmm, I think were were right about here." He lowered his head for a scorching kiss.

The newlyweds quickly lost themselves in each other, as two days' worth of pent-up passion exploded between them both. As they lit each other's senses on fire with their heated kisses and caresses, their hands hastened to remove the final remnants of clothing between them. Soon, they stood naked before each other's loving eyes, aglow in the dancing light from the nearby fireplace.

Sully stood still for a minute, transfixed by the sight of his stunning wife. Moving slowly, as if in a dream, he approached her and began to stroke her petal-soft skin, which was covered in a light sheen of sweat from the heat of the fire and the sensual flame that burned between them. Michaela closed her eyes and tilted her head back in rapture, arching her body toward his in a silent invitation that her husband willingly accepted. His luscious mouth soon joined the sensuous onslaught: He nibbled lightly on her earlobe, and then traced torturously slow circles around her achingly-sensitive nipples with his warm tongue, sending shards of delight skittering through her.

Sully continued to run his hands up and down his wife's inflamed body, coming closer and closer to her mound. Michaela unconsciously bucked her hips towards him and his scintillating fingers, as if inciting him to touch her at the core of her femininity. He heeded her body's anxious call, and tentatively slipped a finger into her crevice. There was no pain this time; only a warm, wet welcome as she drew him into her body. With this last concern assuaged, they both knew that there would be no need to hold back tonight -- they could freely and fully express their burning desire for each other and give unfettered license to their deepest passions.

As she thrilled to Sully's mind-blowing caresses, Michaela feverishly ran her hands all over his torso, stroking his strong shoulders and chest; and enjoying the warm, silky skin of his broad back, which seemed to tremble passionately under her greedy palms. Led by gravity -- and perhaps, her own yearnings -- her hands slipped down to his lower back, and onto the top of his firm buttocks. With soft grunt of pleasure, he covered her hands with his and guided them lower. He wanted her to know that he found this particular touch especially enjoyable; and wanted to trap her enticing palms against him before she lost her nerve and pulled away. Understanding his signals, she continued to knead his muscular posterior, and she felt it clench beneath her caress as he ground his hips into her. All the while, she let her mouth have free rein over his upper body; savoring the slightly salty, earthy taste of his neck as she kissed and nipped her way from behind his ear down to his nipples, which were already rigid with his excitement.

With her hips pressed so intimately to his, Michaela couldn't help but notice that another part of Sully was rigid as well. His rod throbbed insistently against her lower belly, as though indicating its desired destination. His gentle exploration of her cleft felt so amazing that she couldn't help but wonder whether he would enjoy a similar touch from her. But she didn't think she could be so daring. Needing to concentrate, she took a small step back from her husband and his distracting caresses. The action caused his fingers to slip from her body and, for an instant, she felt strangely bereft. But soon, her mind returned to the prospect at hand. From beneath lowered eyelids, her gaze roamed avidly over his virile frame, coming to rest just below his waist, where his arousal was evident.

Despite her best efforts to conceal the direction of her gaze, Sully knew what she was thinking, and the realization caused his excitement to spike even further. But he could also see the battle between propriety and passion -- between her mind on the one hand, and her body and heart on the other -- going on within her, which caused her to hesitate.

"Michaela, I need ya ... please touch me," he implored her.

Her husband's impassioned plea dispelled any lingering doubts in her mind, and she reached out to him. As she did so, his shaft arched toward her, as if seeking her touch. Michaela ran her fingers down the tantalizing crevices where his thighs joined his pelvis, which led her straight to his member. Cautiously, she touched it, and was rewarded with a groan of passion that seemed to reverberate through him. She was struck by how warm and smooth the skin was on this particular part of his anatomy. Curiosity took over, and soon, she was running her fingers softly along his entire length. Intrigued by the way it seemed to jerk beneath her fingers, she experimentally wrapped her hand around it. Unable to encircle him fully with just one hand, her other one soon joined its partner, enfolding him in a solid grip.

Sully froze, and so did Michaela, thinking for a split second that she'd hurt him with her firm touch. One look at his enraptured face assured her that nothing could have been further from the truth.

"Omigod, Michaela ... please don't stop. What you're doin' feels so good ..." he ground out between clenched teeth. He fought the urge to grab her hands and wrap them even more tightly around his rod, wanting her conduct this new and intimate exploration on her own terms.

As if guided by some unknown instinct, she began to move her grip up and down her husband's shaft, which prompted a shudder of ecstasy. The pleasure was so great that his knees threatened to buckle beneath him, and he had to hold onto his wife's shoulders to steady himself.

"Yes, just like that," he encouraged.

As she continued to use one hand to stroke his length in her steadfast hold, her other ventured to the crown of his manhood. Fascinated by its deep color, she circled it with her index finger and then cautiously touched the drop of fluid that leaked from the slit at its center.

"Ah, Michaela!" she heard Sully exclaim, and, in a flash, his hands were on hers, stilling her movements.

Thinking that she'd somehow displeased him, Michaela felt her face flame. "I'm sorry ..." she whispered.

"Sorry?" he asked, initially puzzled. Then, he realized what his innocent bride must be thinking.

"No, my love, don't be sorry," he reassured her. "It feels amazing when ya touch me like that. A bit _too _amazing, if ya get my drift ..."

Her furrowed brow told him that she wasn't quite getting his point.

"If I'd let ya keep touchin' me like that, things would've been over before they even began," he explained. "And I wanna be inside ya when that happens."

Michaela's blush deepened even more when she realized what Sully meant. Uncertain of how to respond to such an intimate statement, she was relieved when he drew her to him once more and filled the brief silence with the sound of their kisses, as he guided them both to the bed.

* * *

As his hands continued their reverent stroking, Sully began to kiss his way down Michaela's body, seeking to do something that he'd wanted to share with her since their first night together on the train to Denver. That night, he'd restrained himself out of consideration for his wife, not wanting to overwhelm or frighten her the first time they made love. He knew that she was still getting used to their new physical intimacy; her shyness stemming from inexperience and years of severe and restrictive Boston ideas about what a man and wife should and should not share in their marital bed. But over the past two days, she had gradually become more comfortable with their physical closeness, occasionally treating him to little touches and kisses on her own initiative. And just now, when he'd invited her to touch him intimately, she'd taken to it like a fish to water, setting his body afire with her stimulating caresses. He thought she was now ready to be introduced to a wonderful new experience that he hoped would become a frequent part of their lovemaking. His lips glided over the smooth skin of her flat stomach, until she felt his warm breath on the soft curls between her thighs ...

Michaela broke out of her sensual trance when she realized Sully's destination, only vaguely aware of what he intended to do. In her early twenties, she'd overheard the disapproving whispers of her father and his colleagues in the parlor of their Boston home, discussing the "debauched" writings of those authors who had dared to describe the various acts of love. They'd dismissed the concept that a man and woman could derive pleasure from kissing each other's private parts, as "base," "vile" and "deviant." She'd been raised to believe that such matters were the province of whores. But when Sully's fingertips gently parted her feminine folds, she felt anything but vile and debased; she felt loved, desired, and incredibly cherished. Nevertheless, her father's disgusted words -- "base ... vile ... deviant" -- and her mother's negative comments regarding a woman's "marital duties," rang in her ears. Suddenly uncomfortable, Michaela squirmed. "Sully, no ... you don't have to ..." she mumbled, embarrassed.

Sully felt Michaela's body tense, and immediately sensed the reason for her discomfiture. Sometimes he had to remind himself that though his beautiful, accomplished bride was knowledgeable about a great many things, in matters of romantic intimacy, she was still very much an innocent. He slid back up her body until they were face-to-face. She felt herself drowning in his gorgeous blue eyes, which were full of love and dark with desire.

"Michaela, I love you ... words can never explain just how much," he whispered. "Our bond is sacred, and how we express our love for each other is beautiful. Nuthin' we share when we're bein' intimate like this is anything to be ashamed of." He paused, his finger tilting her chin up so he could plant a succulent kiss on her lips. At the same time, his other hand traced its way down her body, coming to rest at the juncture of her thighs. Reassured by his loving words, she relaxed, and her thighs parted slightly, giving his hand greater access.

Sully smiled encouragingly. "Will ya let me show ya, in another way, just how much I adore ya?" he asked.

Michaela was too inflamed by the delicious feeling of his hand between her legs to answer aloud; she could only manage a barely-perceptible nod.

With a grateful sigh, he quickly nipped and licked his way down her body once more, anxious to resume his intimate exploration.

His fingers, already wet with her juices, parted the folds of her womanhood. The sight and scent of Michaela's feminine essence made Sully's mouth water ... he couldn't wait to taste her. Finding the little bud that was the seat of her passion, he gently kissed it. Then, he paused, giving her time to get used to this new closeness.

When she felt his mouth on her for the first time, Michaela gasped at the pleasurable sensation, and her hips bucked off the bed, seemingly of their own accord. Sully's lips were so warm, so soft, and so incredibly arousing. Her body began to yearn for something she couldn't yet name; but all she knew was that she wanted him to continue. Still too shy to put her desires into words, she could only whimper with passion.

Michaela's rapturous moan was music to Sully's ears, and was all the encouragement he needed to proceed. He eagerly placed a deeper kiss to her womanhood, flicking his tongue over her feminine bud. Her unique flavor exploded on his tongue, instantly addictive, making him crave more and more of her. He doubted that he'd ever get enough of seeing, feeling and tasting Michaela like this. His own physical response was immediate and powerful. His manhood throbbed impatiently as he ground himself against the mattress beneath him, trying to quell the sensation, wanting to give her pleasure before he took his own.

Michaela cried out in ecstasy as Sully deepened his sensual exploration. The feeling was unlike anything she'd ever experienced before -- an explosion of euphoric sensations erupted from her feminine center, shocking and exciting her beyond belief. Stabbing pulses of unspeakable pleasure began to emanate from her core, radiating through her body. Her nipples instantly became almost painfully erect, goosebumps appeared on her skin, her heart practically bounded out of her chest, and her skin flushed. Her toes curled tightly into the mattress, and she grabbed the pillow beside her, desperately seeking an outlet for her escalating passion. She found it impossible to keep still in the face of these unfamiliar, erotic feelings.

"Sully," she moaned, in a voice so husky with longing that she barely recognized it as her own.

Sully had never heard a more appealing sound in all his days. He was unbelievably aroused by his wife's responsiveness. She was practically pouring with desire now, and he couldn't get enough. Still between her thighs, he whispered, "Oh my God, Michaela, you're so beautiful, so responsive ... you're drivin' me crazy." Wanting to further intensify the experience, he introduced one, and then two, fingers into her female passage, while continuing to tease the little knot at the apex of her womanhood with his mouth and tongue.

Michaela instinctively clenched around her husband's questing fingers, and she wondered if it was possible to die of pleasure. Her entire body began to throb, and she was sure that she would burst from all the wondrous sensations buffeting her from all sides. Sully began to stroke the inside of her sheath in time with his tongue on her bud, and her arousal swiftly soared. She began to feel herself clamoring, reaching towards a conclusion. She wasn't sure what that conclusion was, only that she needed desperately to get there. She floated higher and higher on an ocean of sensual emotions; and her body coiled tighter and tighter, like a spring ... until it broke, releasing a flood of heart-stoppingly incredible feelings. She arched off the bed, crying out in ecstasy. Spasms racked her body, and she closed her eyes, swept away by a maelstrom of utter and absolute bliss.

Sully noticed that the reflexive clenching of Michaela's inner passage around his fingers had intensified, and her legs had begun to shake (and not from the cold!). He knew that she was hurtling towards her first climax, and he was awed and humbled to be the one responsible for it. He glanced up, wanting to see her face at the zenith of her passion, and beheld a sight so beautiful that he knew it would burn itself into his mind forever: Michaela's face was suffused with rapture and wonder, her head flung back in ecstasy against the pillow, her hair a cloud of satin all around her. Her entire body bucked off the bed, causing her gorgeous breasts, with their turgid, pouting nipples, to arch up toward the ceiling. His mouth went dry at the vision of his stunning wife before him, his manhood now painfully erect.

With a somewhat self-satisfied grin, Sully glided back up Michaela's body. She was still panting from the after-effects of her climax, moaning softly. He gently touched his lips to hers. She could taste herself on him, and she paused briefly, trying to quell her shyness and get used to this new evidence of their shared passion. Intuitively sensing the reason for her hesitation, he said in the alluring tone he reserved especially for her, "Ya taste good ... I'm gonna need a second helpin' pretty soon, I think." She blushed with that special combination of innocence and sensuality that he always found so appealing. He winked at her, conveying the light-heartedness of his compliment as he attempted to put her at ease.

Michaela rested her head on his chest, feeling completely relaxed and boneless from her blissful eruption. Stunned and a bit embarrassed by her loss of control, she tried to understand what had just occurred. She wished she could ask Sully; but she wasn't sure it was proper for her to raise such issues with her husband. Her mother had warned her that a proper wife should never take the initiative in discussing such matters. Unable to form the necessary words, she raised her head and looked questioningly at him.

"What is it, love?" he prompted, seeing the query in her eyes.

"Oh, it's nothing ...," she trailed off, overcome by nervousness.

"Michaela, please don't shut me out. Don't ya know you can tell me anything?" he assured her. "No matter what it is, I'll never think any less of ya."

"Well, um, it's just that ..." she stammered. Drawing a fortifying breath, she continued, "It's just that ... I've never felt anything like _that_ before."

Sully couldn't curb his small burst of male pride when he realized what she was referring to. "Sweetheart, ya just had your first climax," he gently explained.

Michaela automatically blushed at the use of such an explicit word. It wasn't entirely foreign to her; during her medical studies, she'd come across the terms "climax" and "orgasm," but only in reference to men. Because clinical scholars believed that only the male orgasm was necessary for conception and procreation, her medical books had never discussed such a phenomenon with respect to women. And, of course, her texts had never so much as hinted at the flood of pleasurable sensations involved!

"B- ... but I thought that ... that sort of thing only happened to men," she blurted out before she could stop herself. She cringed in shock at her own temerity.

"It can happen to a woman too," Sully clarified. "If she enjoys herself enough when she's makin' love ... or snugglin', like we were just now."

He fondly remembered Michaela's priceless reaction when he'd first used the latter word in her presence. Not long after their engagement, she'd discovered him in the clinic, thumbing through a medical text on "Human Reproduction" that he'd caught Brian and his friend inquisitively reading a few moments before. When Sully had asked her whether she'd ever spoken with Brian about "snuggling," kissing, and the like, she'd suddenly become very jumpy, in a transparent attempt to repress her reaction to the sensual words and his proximity to her. Even now, the memory brought a smile to his face.

Sully's smile puzzled his wife. "How can he be so amused, when all I want to do is curl up in shame and disappear?" she thought frustratedly.

Momentarily ensconced in his pleasant recollections, Sully took a bit longer than usual to detect the change in his wife's mood. He noticed her downcast eyes as she began to fidget fretfully in his arms, revealing her misplaced feelings of humiliation.

"Michaela, I live for pleasin' ya like that. When I saw ya reach your peak just now ..." he paused, struggling to find the right words to do her justice. "Well, I've never seen anything more incredibly beautiful in my life. I'll remember that breathtakin' moment for the rest of my days."

Michaela was amazed that he could find her attractive in such an uninhibited state; but she was deeply moved by the sincerity of his revelation. Taking her husband at his word, she banished her nagging insecurities and settled back into his embrace.

During their discussion, Sully's still-aroused state had not gone unnoticed by his wife. She wanted to satisfy him; to bring him the same pleasure he'd just given her. Hoping to signal her intentions, she began to gently run her hand up and down his virile body, each time, moving closer and closer to -- but carefully avoiding -- his most sensitive area. He groaned with pleasure.

Revived by Michaela's amorous caresses, an idea came to Sully about another new experience they could share together. He flipped onto his back, pulling her on top of him. Her legs were on either side of his hips; her warm, moist feminine center directly over his manhood. Unable to restrain himself any longer, he bucked his hips off the bed, indicating his utmost desire to his equally-aroused wife. She allowed him to lift her hips slightly, and then he slid home, embedding himself deep within her.

Michaela stilled, trying to get used to the new sensations. Sully was so deep inside her that it felt as though he could pierce her very soul. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him, unsure of what to do next. Her sterile medical texts had left her wholly unprepared, as none of them had come remotely close to describing an experience as intimate as this! Immediately perceiving the reason for her hesitation, he gave her an encouraging smile and said, "There ain't no right or wrong here, Michaela. Just do whatever feels good."

Reassured by his words, Michaela moved her hips experimentally, almost imperceptibly. The resulting waves of pleasure that lanced through her caught her completely off-guard, and she gasped at the unexpectedly sensual surprise. As if driven by some unseen force outside herself, her body began to undulate slowly back and forth over Sully's sinewy frame, seemingly of its own volition. The more she moved, the more heavenly the sensations became.

Sully ran his hands lovingly down Michaela's body, over her soft breasts and taut stomach, settling them on her hips. He began to thrust his hips up from the bed, using his hands to guide her movements and bring their most sensitive spots into even closer contact. He allowed one of his hands to fall between her thighs, finding and caressing her feminine bud.

"Oh, Sully ..." she moaned, swept away. She looked down into his eyes, which were now almost inky-black with passion. The desire she saw reflected there drove her to even greater heights of ecstasy.

"That's it, love ... ride me ... let go ...," he whispered in low tones; so softly that, for a split second, he wondered whether he'd even uttered the words out loud. He wanted to let Michaela know how good she felt and how much he loved her, but he didn't want to shock or embarrass her with his erotic endearments. He needn't have worried. She blushed in response to his words, but from arousal, not discomfort. Terms that might have caused her to cringe in mortification in any other setting, only excited her further in the context of their intimate encounter. The knowledge that she was pleasing her beloved husband fed her own passion, sending her hurtling toward another climax.

Anchored by Sully's strong hands on her hips, Michaela's movements grew faster and more frenetic, which only served to intensify the unbelievable delight; the feeling of utter and complete oneness with the man she loved more than life itself. She felt her body reaching for another explosive conclusion like the one she had recently experienced at the hands of her loving husband. Higher and higher she climbed, the sensations growing more and more intense, until she shattered, her body racked with paroxysms of exquisite rapture. Unable to contain her ecstasy, she threw her head back and screamed Sully's name as she hit her peak.

Sully looked up at his gorgeous wife, enchanted by her as she unashamedly took her pleasure. He felt the change in her movements as she raced towards her climax. The telltale spasms began to run through her body, rippling though her female passage and gripping him like a silken fist. Her glowing skin broke out in an enticing sheen of sweat as she tossed her lovely hair back behind her like a glossy curtain. The movement threw her heaving breasts forward, her rosy nipples rigid with passion. When she arched her neck, as if to the heavens, and screamed his name, he was undone. With a groan that seemed to come from the depths of his soul, he grabbed her hips and drove himself deep inside her as he found his release, spilling himself in his Heartsong's clenching body.

Michaela collapsed onto Sully's broad chest, panting heavily as the last vestiges of her intense climax flowed through her. Spent and overwhelmed, she felt tears reflexively spring to her eyes as she tried to process the physical and emotional impact of what had just happened. Even as she basked in the security of her husband's tender embrace, she felt as though she had been stripped bare. Never before had she felt so vulnerable -- or so adored -- as she did at this very moment.

As he stroked his wife's smooth back, Sully felt her warm tears trickling down onto his chest. As moved as she was by what they had just shared, he understood that her tears weren't tears of shame or pain, but tears of joy and love. Eventually, he softened, slipping out of Michaela, and she rolled off him, laying her head on his shoulder and caressing the soft hairs of his chest. For a few minutes, they lay together in silence; the only sound in the room was their breathing gradually returning to normal.

"You alright, sweetheart?" he inquired, toying with her hair.

"I ..." she faltered, words failing her in her profoundly emotional state. "I never knew it could be like that," she confessed.

"When two people are blessed enough to share a love like ours, it can often be like that," he explained. "Remember when I told ya on our wedding night that the next time we made love, we'd reach paradise together?"

"Oh, yes," she softly replied. "At that time, I didn't know what you meant ..."

"But now, ya do. Thank you for sharin' paradise with me," he said, and tenderly kissed her cheek.

After a few more moments of comfortable silence, Michaela raised her head and looked into her husband's fathomless blue eyes. Her voice quaking with emotion, she said, "Thank you, Sully, for opening my eyes and showing me what true love is. I feel like a part of me that was hidden deep inside me has finally awakened."

"Michaela, it's me who should be grateful to you, for trustin' me enough to let go and reveal that part of yourself to me," he replied. "I'm honored and humbled ... more than you'll ever know. I'll always remember this night for as long as I live. I love you."

"Oh, Sully, I love you too, with all my heart and soul."

Having made their heartfelt declarations of love, Michaela and Sully wrapped themselves in each other's arms and fell into a contented sleep, dreaming pleasant dreams of their future together.

**The End**


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